Anybody wanna have a "Women over 40" forum or group????

I think we all have different concerns and certainly different challenges when it comes to getting in shape, losing weight and living happier and healthier. I know it is certainly different for me now then it was 20 years ago. When I look back to 20 and 30 years ago when I was in my 20's and 30's (yes I'm 51 yrs old), if I wanted/needed to lose weight, it was usually just a few pounds and now I see how it was pretty cut and dry - watch what I eat, more exercise, weight comes off, nice flat tummy again. And I do realize there are plenty of younger women who don't find it that easy, and believe me, I hear ya!! None of us like the shape we are in or we wouldn't be trying to fix ourselves!!

Anyway, I think there are issues like slower metabolism due to age, and then there are the good ole issues like hormone replacement therapy, maybe post-hysterectomy, and hey.....what about the belly problems due to having that bikini cut for c-sections or female surgery so many times your muscles are now like hamburger meat? Then things like medications we may take that make losing weight a little more difficult.......blood pressure meds, anti-depressants, things like that?

There are quite a few other things that I can think of that, luckily for them, just probably don't apply yet to the younger women.

Has anyone seen the list of calories burned doing activities? They have everything on that list. I worked on cleaning out my garage today. Even that was on the list and according to it I burned 212 calories. I have a barn and stall cleaning is on the list. It takes a little extra time each day to do, but it's pretty interesting to see how many calories everyday chores burn.

I think this group is a great idea. I had to laugh when I read notgivingup59's post about the 16 year olds. I was thinking I was too old for this site. I am 40 and need to loose 70+ pounds. My family can eat anything so they are no help when it comes to food. I have lost about 10 lbs but have not moved for a couple weeks. I am starting to loose my motivation. I am hoping I can find others for motivation.

Hi Laura and welcome. Hang in there and don't give up. We all have those days (or sometimes weeks). Congrats on your 10 llbs. My family is the same way about eating anything. I am finding if I watch what I eat during the day I can eat whatever they eat at dinner, but I have to make sure I eat small portions. Stick with us and we can support each other.

Laura - Hang in there! I was where you are at. I lost 75 pounds in my early 40's. It's definitely not easy but determination kept me going. I had been heavy since the age of 8 with small windows of time where I'd lost a considerable amount of weight but for short periods of time. I'm the yo-yo queen! At 15 I lost 50 pounds over the summer break. I gained it back within 18 months. I lost the same 30 pounds 3 different times through my 20's. I gave up in my 30's and my weight ballooned to over 230 pounds. Something just clicked for me when I turned 40. I watched my obese mother suffer with high blood pressure, being a diabetic, and arthritis in her hips so bad she couldn't get out of a chair without help. I did not want to be like her in my 60's.

When I lost the weight I kept it off for over 5 years without "swinging" more than 4 or 5 pounds. I enforced my personal rule of 5 pounds. If I crept up I dieted back down but for the most part I'd changed my eating habits and it wasn't an issue to maintain. Sadly, I've gone through some major life changes the past couple of years and have not given myself the same level of care so my weight crept back up. I've gained 25 pounds in less than 2 years.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is that you have to make your health and well-being a priority. Once you make up your mind to lose the weight and learn to fight the negative self-talk you'll win the battle. Keep your end goal in mind at all times. Set up mini-goals and celebrate them when you get there. Mine was "breaking a 10", like slipping out of the 160's to the 150's. It makes the whole process less overwhelming.

Nancy, Thank you for the water tips!! I'll start sampling some exotic waters and see what I like...that will make it kind of fun, actually. I actually LOST WEIGHT you guys,...FINALLY! I skipped working out for three whole days, ate relatively sensibly, and I finally lost a few.

THANK YOU, EVERYBODY for the support through this..I have a feeling I'll be needing you a lot throughout this process.

Elaine, that activity list cracks me up, too. It even includes what you do once you get to the outhouse! I hope I'm not so desperate that I need to log that.

Donna, I read a post last night that asked what you'd spend to weigh less. Of course, we'd all give up some cash to have that miracle drug that really worked. So I went to the store and bought water. For some reason, I drink it better out of a bottle. (yeah, I know....) I also bought some lemon-flavored water. I'm worht the extra $$. You are, too.

Laura, just don't give up. I have a bean pole hubby and 2 skinny kids! Sure I got given the wrongs ones in the maternity unit!!!! Anyway, I plateau'd for about 3months and decided I am not giving in, I will be thinner!!! Well I am back to losing weight. We will be thinner,we will succeed (cos sucking in our cheeks wont work!)

Going back to the activity list, does it say any thing about how much you lose by intensely scrubbing a tiolet after a patient has had severe diarrohea everywhere!!!! Taking into account that you feel that bad afterwards you don't eat anything!!!! I must have lost at least 400cals!!!!

Laura, I'm thinking I should post a pic of my husband and me. He's so skinny, and he's 48 so now we know he always will be. He eats the same meals as me, and drinks Cokes about all day long, has a big bowl of ice cream every night. Bean pole skinny. Last time he got his cholesterol checked the numbers were ridiculously low, and I didn't realize they could be so low. Mine are, well let's just say at my check up this spring, the doc came in with the results and said.......Welllllll, no pretty way of saying this......you flunked.

So, it all really sucks and it's not fair. Some people are born destined to be skinny no matter what........but we have one thing on them.........how proud we will be when we get there, cause by God.........we will be able to stand proud and know we deserved it.......

I would love to be in the exercise/water drinking challenge. I have a hard time drinking water too... I decided to always drink water while I was working since we have a nice cooler there. Also at home I drink the flavoured waters--the Arrowhead sparkling berry is my favourite. I tried one of the artficially sweetened ones too, but it was a bit too sweet. Yesterday I tried mixing 1/2 and 1/2 a sparkling pomegranate and lemon flavoured mineral water and it tasted great.

For exercise, I rode my bike everyday for the past 7 days. I hadn't been on it for months, maybe years really. I love it but my butt is still sore for the first 5 minutes I go out. I also walk with my dog but she is a bit lazy these days at 9 years old. My goal is to burn about 500 calories a day through biking or exercise.

Right now I have about 15 lbs to go to get to my goal weight. At this point it is really difficult to get the scale to budge, and so easy to get discouraged. I like reading everyones posts and have so much respect and admiration for all of you.

Mctami, it really IS about deciding to get back to taking care of ourselves a little bit more, isn't it? At our age, we are probably all spending a great deal of "best" energy taking care of other people, other concerns. I found out I had cancer at 42, two months after after I'd moved to Kansas from Seattle to be with my now-husband, then unexpectedly gained a daughter one month after my second surgery--a true blessing, but I have no children of my own, so a huge new responsibilty--all I wanted was to get out of "patient" mode, and into a whole new gig; step-mom, wife, Martha Stewart-like gourmet cook and charming, lovely wife with great manners. In the end, I'm tired, crabby, fat, and disgusted with myself.

I digress, but my point is, we all through phases--which is why we can't relate to the 16-year-olds who "need" to lose 15 pounds for swimsuit season. Now, it seems to me we're all getting back to amping up the caring-about-ourselves-a-little-bit-better phase, which, ironically, is actually better for the loved ones around us, anyway. I'm never going to be able to lose weight the way I did when I was younger, and I'm going to have to think about my health and permanent eating habits, not just how to get rid of ten pounds by giving up Cheetos and ice cream for two weeks.

Laura, you can do this, to, believe me, you can.

So, we're all here to support and get support, and it's certainly working for me. I so much want all of my new "over-40" friends to succeed, and I get to rejoice in their victories, too. I personally cannot wait for Brenda's coaster ride...as a matter of fact, I'd like to be there with her when you go, Brenda.

Anyway, I'm sorry, I'm way too wordy, and I'm just really appreciative of each of you. I'm going to buy a "frilly" water tomorrow and drink a whole lot of it. Thanks, everybody, and sorry for going on and on...

For this week, I am thinking let's all just log daily how much water we drink and how many minutes we exercise, with a note on what it was......walking, riding bikes, jogging, other exercises, etc. Let's note our starting weight, and if you see this post today, go ahead and enter your weight as of today. Also for this week, I would like to see everyone post what their normal or average water intake is.....and our challenge is for each of us to beat our average. Then the next week, we'll come up with a group challenge, get the competition going a little bit. BUT....I think we'll base that on percentages.......divide into groups and see how much each group progressed......we'll work on that this week, to be ready for next week.

To make it easier to read how everyone's doing and figure out who drank the most water, exercised the most for however long we all do this.......I'm going to start a forum just for entering all that....... WOMEN OVER 40 WEEKLY CHALLENGE.

We'll use that just to post our how much water, how much exercise and weight each day. Ok??

Well, it sounds like we have lots of wonderful people joining the women over 40. Well, it has helped me already. I really have no one to do this with. I have tried to do it with friends but if they are not in the right mind set as you, you do not get anywhere.

I have hit 200!!! I need to lose a lot more but I finally hit that mark and I will take it. I had lost 20 pound about two years ago and kept it off for a year and a half until I had my hysterectomoy. Then I got bored and started snacking more and all that. So at least I am I getting back on track.

I have started going home and making sure I do a little excerise most days. I rode my bike around 5 miles on Saturday and went for a mile and a half walk on Sunday. I had my granddaughters and that was quite a bit of movement right there. Nothing compared to some people but the fact that I am motivated enough to be doing it, WOW, I feel good. I thank all of you for the post and all the support you guys are giving each other.

Hi All! Thanks for your comment about the coaster ride, Donna. It will be a long time before I will be thin enough to fit on the rides but that's OK. I got on Cedar Point's website and they recommend 200 lbs as the weight limit for their coasters. So I am aiming for 190 as a longterm goal. Currently at 307. Short term goal is to be less than 300, then after that 290 for a pedicure/manicure.

I am 45, 5'6" and today at 202.5 lbs.I have had 2 kids, the youngest is now 10. I haven't been thin since I was in kindergarten!! I've worked pretty hard over the last year and have lost 29 lbs since January of '06. I do wish it was faster but I keep telling myself that at least I haven't gained any weight. I had my gall bladder out at the end of March so am still kind of adjusting to the digestive changes that brings. Any one else with post-gallbladder diet tips?

I've started walking 3 miles 4 times a week and feel really good about that; I am finding that my 12 year old daughter is the one who is "weird" about me trying to be healthier...I have told her that since my parents both died young (65 and 67 years old) and heart disease is so prevalent in my family...that I need to get healthy now so I will be here in more than 20 years. It really feels like she is trying to discourage me sometimes.